Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.IMPORTANT!

This is the ROBERT TEMPLE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE. It contains descriptions and notes relating to almost 18,000 titles in the fields of British and American literature, being the bulk of the stock that has passed through our hands since 1984, with the addition of a few earlier items of especial interest. Books currently in stock are not included, and it is therefore necessary to supplement your search by looking at our Current Catalogues. For the most part full bibliographical descriptions are given, though for some earlier items, catalogued when computing space was more restricted the details given are quite brief. For an account of the conventions adopted, the abbreviations used, and reference sources consulted, please see our information pages.

Please note: The arrangement here is the same as that adopted in our current catalogues, and as there our larger files are presented in sections for ease of downloading. At the end of each section you are invited to browse the next.

ROBERT TEMPLE BOOKS MODERN FIRSTS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE, File J: Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.

ROBERT TEMPLE BOOKS MODERN FIRSTS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE, File J: Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.

MORTON (Charles). Frankly, George: Or Letters to a Publisher from an Author Whose First Book Is about to Appear. J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and New York, 1951. One gathering, Roy.16mo; two blanks at front and back serving as end-papers; pale green cloth, white label printed in pale green on front cover. Virtually fine copy in tattered remains of tissue dust-wrapper.

Presentation copy with the author's signed holograph inscription to Nora Smallwood on the front end-paper. Second Impression.

The second binding. The spine of the dust-wrapper bears a sticker giving the price as 5/-, whilst a corner, presumably bearing the original price, has been clipped from the front flap. From the publisher's file, with their File Copy sticker on the spine of the dust-wrapper.

Besides Mottram's Introduction the volume includes an Author's Preface to the English Edition, here first published. This copy was purchased from the publisher's file, but is without signs of provenance.

Review copy, with the publisher's review slip loosely inserted, the publication details filled in in Virginia Woolf's hand and purple ink. Both sides of the review slip bear trial pencilled notes in another hand for an apparently hostile review to which the ink scoring relates. Scheduled for publication on October 7th. An interesting advance copy. Woolmer, 105, declaring positively in his first edition that the book was issued without a dust-wrapper: an error he corrected after seeing this entry.

The publisher's Production Office Copy, with their small label to this effect on the spine. Woolmer, 168, recording the first edition of 1928 and the reimpressions of 1932 and 1938, but not this Fourth Impression.

Issued as No.10 of ‘The Hogarth Essays', first series. Woolmer, 71: the number of copies printed not known, but according to the Sussex ledger only 342 copies were sold in the first sixteen months after publication. It would appear to-day to be one of the scarcest titles in the series. In this copy, probably as always, the following errata have been noted: p.15, l.10, ‘then' for ‘than'; and p.25, l.4, ‘most' for ‘least'.

Issued as ‘Westminster Popular No.18', price sixpence. In this copy the ‘i' of ‘motion' at line 13 on p.6, and the ‘l' of ‘nervously' at line 1 on p.31 are almost lacking; there are badly risen leads in the first three lines on p.7, 4 lines from the foot on p.11, and two lines from the foot on p.30; at line 4 on p.7 there is the reading ‘thouhgt' for ‘thought'; the full stop is lacking after ‘truth' in line 3 on p.23, and the inverted commas at the end of the last line on p.41. The second issue: p.[1] of the adverts at the end here shows a girl playing a pianola attached to a grand piano, as per caption, instead of to an upright piano as in the first issue.

ROBERT TEMPLE BOOKS MODERN FIRSTS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE, File J: Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.

MUNRO (Neil). The brave days: A Chronicle from the North. With an Introduction by George Blake. Edinburgh, The Porpoise Press, 1931. Imprint leaf at end; red cloth blocked and lettered gilt on spine; lower edges rough-trimmed. Fine copy in very slightly frayed dust-wrapper.

Issued in the series ‘Studies in European Literature and Thought' under the general editorship of Erich Heller. The third issue of the author's scarce first book, published at the increased price of 7/6.

The author's scarce first novel: and with an ‘Ex Libris' book label on the front end-paper bearing her signature. The first binding, and the very scarce advance state of the text. The book as published was in the same binding as this, but was without the blurb here present on the half-title page, which consists of most of the first paragraph of that printed on the inside front flap of the dust-wrapper. The presence of this blurb was objected to by the author, and in the book as published it was suppressed (though by an error of the printers it re-appeared again in the second impression). A later (or possibly library) issue is also sometimes seen in a somewhat more robust publisher's binding of lime green fine weave cloth patterned boards. This also is without the blurb.

The author's scarce first novel. Second (first published) issue of text, without a blurb on the half-title page, and a variant binding, apparently issued for library use: the usual binding being of pale blue-green matt-surfaced smooth boards, similarly blocked and lettered.

ROBERT TEMPLE BOOKS MODERN FIRSTS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE, File J: Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.

MURDOCH (Iris). Reynolds Stone: An address given by Iris Murdoch In St. James's church Piccadilly, London, On 20 July 1979. Published by Warren Editions, Christmas 1981. 16pp., f'cap 4to format, sewn into plain white card wrappers; blank, and portrait frontispiece by Janet Stone, precede title-page with small woodcut by Reynolds Stone; blank, followed by colophon leaf with small woodcut by Reynolds Stone, and further blank at end. A fine copy in the dust-wrapper.

One of an edition limited to 750 copies printed at The Stellar Press, this copy being signed by the author on the colophon leaf.

A minor binding variant, copies also being known with the fore-edges rough trimmed and the lower-edges uncut. Published posthumously. Sixty articles contributed during the last seven or eight years of his life to ‘The Referee'.

Review Copy, with the publisher's review stamp in blind on the title-page. From the library of Richard Hughes, and bearing his bookplate on the front paste-down. The selection of essays which have been opened and read give perhaps an insight into Hughes's literary interests at an early date.

Presentation copy to James Cameron, with the author's signed holograph inscription dated April 1946 on the upper margin of the title page. The wrappers print comments by E.M. Forster, H.E. Bates, Compton Mackenzie, John Brophy, etc., in praise of the author's earlier books, these being listed on the back wrapper as ‘Swami & Friends (Hamish Hamilton, London)', ‘The Bachelor of Arts (Nelson, London)', ‘The Dark Room (Macmillan, London)', and ‘Malgudi Days (Indian Thought Publications [Mysore])'. If this listing is complete, ‘The English Teacher', Eyre & Spottiswoode, London, 1945, had not yet appeared: our dating of the present volume as 1943 is based on an assumption of the author's biennial schedule.

ROBERT TEMPLE BOOKS MODERN FIRSTS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE, File J: Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.

NATIONS (Opal L.). Screen-teen. A collection of poems and other works 1970 - 1972. By Opal L. Nations. Strange Faeces Press, 1972. 42a, Pembridge Road, Notting Hill Gate, London W11. Single sheets, med.4to format, wire-stabbed; half-title and end-papers not called for; blank before title-page; 40pp. paginated in combinations of letters and numbers, the letters spelling out from page to page the author's name, the numbers counting the number of times that each has been repeated; front wrapper, cut flush, printed outside in black. Back wrapper detached from one of the three staples, otherwise a fine copy.

One of an edition limited to 200 copies "All of which are signed in invisible Braille". Presentation copy (not sent, but presumably intended for review) inscribed on the front blank "With compliments / Opal" in the author's hand. The text contains one ink correction by the author on p.O2 (bis). From the Opal Nations file.

One of an edition limited to 200 copies. Mainly illustrations, but includes some text. Loosely laid in to this copy is a rare duplicated flyer, signed ‘Marc' relating to the setting-up of the Writers' Workshop, and stating its aims ("To get the writer on the street without process, editing, bread or any hand-up...remember we do not print rejection slips.") and divisions ("Writers' Workshop, Action Workshop - collections of social service essays, and Kids' Workshop....We have a motto: do not correct the spelling mistakes - there are none. Language is a living, keep it from extinction.") The Workshop is to begin publication "From the end of June" - the present flyer being, presumably therefore, its first publication. It was to be run eventually by Marc (surname never given), Christopher M. Pickles, Pauline (surname never given), Paul Inett, and Barry O'Brien. The flyer is slightly frayed at the large blank fore-edge where it has protruded beyond the booklet into which it has been laid. The Writers Workshop was to become one of the most active underground publishers of its time, and continued its activities for some years. Opal Nations, was heavily involved with it at the start, both as illustrator and literary contributor. From the Opal Nations file.

Very scarce, having been published in a format not calculated to survive. The first complete edition of the two parts, being a reprint of the Strange Faeces Press publications issued in small editions (the second part 200 copies) in 1971 - 2. From the Opal Nations file.

Illustrations without text. The flyer together with the rubber-stamp and lack of other publishing details suggest that this booklet was produced only for publicity purposes, and was never intended for publication. Probably only a very small number were produced. The flyer reads: "This book will appear in strip form in SOFT NEED magazine, Spring 1973, which will also include work by Robin Page, Jürgen Schiller, Carl Weissner, and many other earth shaking people. Copies of SOFT NEED will be made available from the editor Udo Breger, Expanded Media Editions, 34 Göttingen, Reinhäuser 20a, West Germany." From the Opal Nations file.

ROBERT TEMPLE BOOKS MODERN FIRSTS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE, File J: Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.

NATIONS (Opal). [Photograph, apparently duplicated, and four lines of text, N.D., but c.1973]. Single A4 leaf of thick paper, printed on one side in black. Fine copy.

Signed by the author/subject. "This photograph of OPAL L. Nations is the result of the following: 1. The face was exposed to reflection upon the petals of 100 buttercups..." From the Opal Nations file, and possibly a proof.

ROBERT TEMPLE BOOKS MODERN FIRSTS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE, File J: Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.

NAUGHTON (Bill). One small boy. Macgibbon & Kee, 1957. Double cr.16mo; black boards ruled and lettered gilt down spine. Gilt slightly dull, and paper of spine very faintly creased; extensive small biro scribbles on a number of leaves; otherwise in general nice.

Signed by the author on the title-page, and with his affectionate presentation inscription, dated ‘Boxing Day ‘57' on the front end-paper.

The second binding: the first being of vertically fine ribbed green cloth, panelled dark green, lettered and with ruled box, gilt, on front cover and spine, short rule, gilt, on spine; t.e.g., others uncut. Short stories about children. Not a children's book.

Presentation copy, with the author's brief holograph note on paper headed ‘Northerhampton House, Salisbury', and dated ‘Christmas 1911' giving the book ‘To Dick' [i.e., Richard de la Mare] loosely laid in. The novel was first published in 1892, but the interesting Introduction by the author, quoting a letter from Robert Louis Stevenson, is here first printed. Though the plates to pp.72 and 117 are lacking, that to p.117 is preserved as the cover illustration.

The cancel title-leaf omits the publisher's address: they must have decided on a move whilst the book was passing through the press, but had not yet finally found their new premises. Memories of Masefield, Bridges, Yeats, Chesterton, Churchill, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Elizabeth von Arnim, Compton Mackenzie, Sir William Orpen, Elinor Glyn, H.L. Mencken, Kipling, Hugh Walpole, Norman Lindsay, Somerset Maugham, Noel Coward, etc. The author's fourth book, the frontispiece of which probably embarrassed him in later life.

Printed in Tokyo at the Daidosha Press. Essays reprinted from the Academy, the Saturday Review, the Graphic, the Westminster Gazette, Rhythm, and the Japan Mail (Tokyo), here first collected. The volume is dedicated to Edmund Gosse. Nelson, 1914.1.

Issued without a back free end-paper, the last page being blank. In this copy, line 6 on p.213 has the reading ‘make' for ‘makes'. A volume of prose including, incidentally, according to the blurb, "the largest body of Alfred Noyes's lyrics to be published since 1924".

The author's very scarce first book, but in a later binding, the first binding being of emerald green cloth lettered with title, author, and publisher on spine in dark green. This secondary binding has also been observed in otherwise similar boards of a sand colour.

ROBERT TEMPLE BOOKS MODERN FIRSTS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE, File J: Twentieth Century Prose Literature. All books first editions and first printings, except as stated.

O'BRIAN (Patrick [i.e., Richard Patrick Russ]). The far side Of the world. Collins, 8 Grafton Street, London W1, 1984. Double lge.post 16mo; two blanks at end; pp.[viii]+371+[v]; bright blue rexine, lettered gilt down spine; t.e. yellow. Front free end-paper lacking; small slightly thinned patch on upper margin of half-title where ball-point price has been removed; rubber-stamp removed from verso of title-page, but still just detectable; red ink-line across upper edges designating this as an ex-library copy for sale; otherwise a nice copy in slightly frayed dust-wrapper with small chip from top corner of front panel and flap.

An ex-library copy in the original publisher's binding, which appears however to be a special binding for libraries, more substantial than the usual one. The front flap of the dust-wrapper bears a publisher's sticker giving the price for this copy as £9.95 In this copy the following errata have been noted (state or issue significance, if any, unknown): p.29, l.26, ‘know' for ‘knows'; p.72, l.11, ‘members' for ‘member'; p.185, l.2, ‘had' for ‘have'; p.260, l.14, ‘Nigh' for ‘Night'; p.269, l.27, ‘not' for ‘no'; p.274, l.9, ‘too' for ‘tool';p.274, last line, ‘splinter' for ‘splitter'; p.328, l.18, ‘trifie' for ‘trifle'; p.367, l.23, ‘head' for ‘heard'.

Publicity brochure issued in advance of publication to advertise ‘A Pagan Place', which was scheduled for publication on April 16th, 1970. Includes extracts from ‘A Pagan Place', two poems, portions of the text of two interviews, a bibliographical check-list, and other material by or about Edna O'Brien, all of it here first published.